PROJECT SUMMARY This proposal seeks to establish a Research Instrumentation Core Facility and Biomedical Research and Training Laboratory at the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) as part of the Louisiana Biomedical Research Network (LBRN). The objectives of the facility are to: 1) promote collaborative research efforts at ULM; 2) improve access to, and use of, existing research instrumentation; 3) provide enhanced training in the use of research instrumentation for both faculty and students; and 4) promote undergraduate research activity. The facility will consist of two adjoined laboratories: one for use as the instrumentation core and the other as a laboratory for research training. The Research Instrumentation Core Facility will centralize existing research instrumentation used for molecular and cell biology research. The facility has commitments from the ULM administration for personnel and equipment maintenance support. The facility will closely collaborate with the Molecular and Cell Biology Resource Cores of the LBRN to support projects requiring gene expression and computational analysis. The Biomedical Research and Training Laboratory will allow development of innovative undergraduate and graduate student training programs that will improve student capabilities in research. It will also function as a laboratory space for faculty and student research and promote collaboration with faculty from other LBRN institutions. The facility will advance ULM as a research-active predominantly undergraduate institution and will increase the number of students pursuing biomedical research careers.